


Defect

by Starofwinter



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-05
Updated: 2016-11-05
Packaged: 2018-08-29 06:38:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8479087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starofwinter/pseuds/Starofwinter
Summary: Dogma doesn't think he's a hero.





	

Dogma linked his fingers over the back of his neck, his knees pulled up to his chest as he tried to calm his breathing.  He was going to be punished - he didn’t know why he hadn’t been executed on the spot when he shot General Krell, he didn’t know why General Skywalker or General Kenobi hadn’t done it themselves or had him arrested or _anything_ , it didn’t make any sense.  Even his own brothers hadn’t done anything but give him sympathetic looks and plenty of space.  Captain Rex had squeezed his shoulder lightly and told him he’d done the right thing, but he hadn’t, he’d shot his general in cold blood.  

He should be put down as a defect.  If they hadn’t taken his blaster-  No, they were still going to punish him, they had to.  It was the only possible option.  General Krell had made examples of clones before - the same way he’d ordered Dogma himself to do to Fives and Jesse.  At least they’d survived, thanks to the loyalty of their brothers; so many of his own brothers hadn’t.   He still couldn’t _breathe_ , and his chest ached badly enough that he thought maybe he should be worried but the thought of actually facing anyone else made him panic more, so he pressed himself into the corner and hoped it would pass.  

The gentle hand on his shoulder made him jump out of his skin, and he looked up to see Tup crouched in front of him, his brows furrowed with worry.  “Hey, vod’ika, you okay?” he asked softly, his thumb rubbing circles over the back of Dogma’s neck, “Talk to me, what’s going on?”

Dogma could only shake his head, his throat closing up.  “Defect,” he managed, because wasn’t this just proof that he was?  

Tup’s expression turned grief-stricken for a moment, and he sighed.  “Can I hug you?” he asked, and Dogma froze for a moment, turning the question over in his panicked thoughts, dissecting it to see if it was a test before he finally nodded.  He was going to be destroyed anyway, why would it matter?  Tup gathered him up in his arms, his hand running over his back.  “Breathe with me, alright?  Slow and easy, just like that.”  It took a while, but Dogma finally managed to catch his breath, his heart slowing its pounding till he could relax a little, exhausted.  “Listen, you’re not a defect, you got that?  Hells, most of us think you deserve a kriffing medal for putting Krell down.  Can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same if I was there.  He got what was coming to him - he killed our brothers, hurt a lot of others.  He betrayed you, me, all of us, the Jedi too.   _You did the right thing._  You’re a hero.”

He thought he liked the sound of that, even if he didn’t believe it yet.


End file.
